


Golden Pearls

by In_Much_Stress



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anyways, Fluff and Angst, I think I scared them off, Little Mermaid But Not Really, M/M, MERMAN DREAM, Minor Character Death, Misunderstandings, No Beta We Die Like Endermen, Suicide Attempt, antis stopped coming by, don't worry you're not supposed to care about them, like they matter for plot but nothing else, oh well, screeching our lungs out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:48:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27902491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/In_Much_Stress/pseuds/In_Much_Stress
Summary: It's interesting to see what the ocean can bring.KEEP IN MIND that this was made for us, shippers, and us only and you should not show this to either CC unless given clear and enthusiastic consent. Also, if you're gonna waste your time telling me to stop, I want you to think for a second and go find something to do with your life, because you ain't righteous and you sure ain't protecting anyone, Anti.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/Dave | Technoblade
Comments: 41
Kudos: 443





	1. Something Fishy

**Author's Note:**

> Since in the last Manhunt Dream recognized that he is, in fact, a Disney Princess, have some Little Mermaid But Not Really

_Many years ago, a little village was born at the limits of land, where solid ground meets the fickle blue. It had no name, not in a language known by land dwellers, but those who lived in the waves had many names for it. The village lived off fishing, so it is not surprising that eventually the land and sea dwellers met. They made a deal: The merfolk would help the humans have all the fish they needed, as long as they never asked for more than necessary, and the humans would give the merfolk things they could only find in land: silver and gold._

_The two worlds lived in harmony for hundreds of years, and soon the village grew into a kingdom, the Kingdom of Terrai, a name derived from “terrains”, one of the many names the merfolk had for the humans. But one day, the peace ended, and it ended with one simple request from the oldest son of the merfolk empire: He wished for nothing more but a city made of gold._

_Gold had been a part of their trade since the beginning, but had always been treated with caution, as it is humanity’s currency, the base of all of their economy. To simply give all the gold needed to build a city to the merfolk would be a certain way to their doom. The land dwellers denied, and so did the merfolk’s Emperor, a benevolent merman who wished nothing more than to keep the peace his parents had established._

_The oldest prince, however, paid no attention to their refusal, willing to take what he wanted by any means. Charismatic and confident, he convinced many of his plans, and soon he had an army to attack the humans in the hopes of stealing every bit of gold they had._

_The war that followed was brutal and lasted many years, but it eventually ended when the Queen, a courageous woman from a long lineage of witches, sacrificed herself to entrap the Sea Prince in the form of a human, allowing her King’s sword to end the enemy’s terror with a fatal blow. Filled with grief for the loss of his wife and the destruction of his Kingdom, the King drowned himself in the same ocean where everything started, leaving behind his trusted advisor with his two sons. Ashamed by what his own blood did, the merfolk Emperor and what was left of his Empire left that sea, and no one has heard of them since._

“And that’s the history of our Kingdom. Now go to sleep.”

“I’m not a child, Wilbur. And it’s not even that late!”

If anyone told King Technoblade that he’d be the King of an empire and _still_ have to listen to an annoying child being annoying, he would have deadpanned to the next year. But here he is, staring fondly as his brother and Tommy, Wilbur’s ward, bicker while Philza, his Advisor, tries and fails to hide his laughter. Dream, his personal servant, doesn’t even bother hiding his laughing fit, wheezing so hard he has to hold on Techno’s throne so he won’t fall.

It’s endearing and a bit surprising, Dream doesn’t really enjoy listening to the history of their Kingdom, as much as he tries to hide it, but he has been in a very good mood lately, so the pinkett shrugs it off.

“Alright, if you two are going to bicker, do it outside, the ball is about to start and one unhinged moron is enough.” He says, pointing at the still laughing blond holding on his throne.

“You just like Dream’s laugh more.” Wilbur accuses, grinning like a little shit, prompting the King to raise one eyebrow.

“I do, so shut up.”

“Oh, my God, spare us your simping.”

“No, no, please keep going.” Dream prompts with a hand on the King’s shoulder, ignoring Tommy’s complaining. His smile is bright, showing off teeth as white as pearls, and his eyes glisten like the ocean when the sun hits its highest spot. Truly, the most breathtaking being Techno ever had the delight to see. The fact the blonde is actually _his_ sometimes just won’t register.

“I like your laugh best. I like you best.” Techno indulges his beloved, bringing the hand on his shoulder to his lips reverently, watching adoringly as a pretty blush rises to Dream’s cheeks.

“Ok, enough, you four. People are about to arrive and Techno’s got a reputation as a feared king to maintain.” Philza claps his hands twice, breaking whatever spell the freckled servant put the king under.

 _Servant._ That word brings a sour taste to his mouth, but his consolation is that soon his beloved will carry a crown much like his. King Technoblade has worked hard all his life to assure his Kingdom's the safe prosperity it deserves, giving all of himself to the noble cause of his parents and predecessors. And now all he asks in exchange is _acceptance._ He is far from stupid, he had made peace with the fact he would have a loveless marriage, however, much to his surprise, he managed to find love, and what he wishes more than anything is for the acceptance and support of his people.

Hence the ball. Tonight, they'll announce their relationship to the Kingdom. Techno won't deny being nervous, but he has Dream near him, which gives him confidence. Dream is a well liked figure in the Kingdom, conquering even the most hardened of hearts with his genuine charm and fun personality.

They'll be fine.

They’ll be together.

* * *

“I’m so tired.”

“All you did was sit on that throne looking faintly amused, dance with me for a little bit every now and then and then go right back to your throne.”

“Not true, I also aggravated Tommy until Tubbo had to come and lead him away.”

“Oh, yes, that is very tiring.”

“But, oh, so entertaining.”

The couple look at each other for a second before bursting out laughing. In the privacy of his— _their,_ really—room, Techno has no trouble letting go of his usual cautious emotionlessness and laughing the loudest he can. Dream accompanies him, clutching his stomach and hiding his blushing face against his pillow.

God, he loves this blond so much it hurts.

Techno brings his now official fiance closer, feeling fulfilled. His engagement had been met with acceptance and support even by the grumpiest of elders, even the people who bemoaned losing whatever chance they thought they had with the blonde had cheered for them. Dream had been close to tears, and Techno himself felt his smile become a little wobbly. His people shared his happiness, as a King there is nothing better.

So he had sat back and watched as his beloved mingled. Out of the two, Dream is the one with people skills and tends to take longer to burn out, enjoying being surrounded by friendly people. It helped that George and SapNap, his two best friends, were there to give him their good wishes, even though they already knew about the relationship beforehand. Techno did have to ask for their blessings, after all, in the lack of Dream’s family.

Two orphans raised between friends are now starting a family. It's poetic, much more poetic than Technoblade ever thought himself worthy of.

“I love you,” he says, nuzzling the soft blonde hair of his future husband. It’s not the first time he says that, but it feels just as exhilarating.

Who would’ve guessed the Great King Technoblade of Terrai would have such a weak heart?

Oh, well, as long as it is Dream, the King is sure everything will be ok.

* * *

And, of course, takes very little to tempt Fate.

Exactly a week after the ball, Techno is needed in a faraway country to flesh out the details of a very important treaty. The Kingdom of Terrai doesn’t have many enemies, but some of them were truly powerful. This one in particular had been a thorn in their side for years, so finally getting a treaty to start a new era of peace between the kingdoms is a blessing no one is foolish enough to waste.

Fate, however, cares not.

Barely a day since their ship parted, just enough time for Techno to start missing home and the arms of his beloved, a terrible storm strikes, and the ocean answers by destroying everything it touches.

Technoblade can’t swim.

His parents died by the greed of the sea-dwellers, a scar that left him too afraid of the ocean and whatever secrets it may hide. He never learned how to swim, he never wanted to learn, and had taken much comfort in the knowledge that his beloved shared the same fear. It had never been a problem before, as the ships of the Kingdom were all made with the dangers of the ocean in mind, however the storm comes with a vengeance, as if it truly wished nothing more but to swallow every single soul.

There is silence under the waves.

Almost feels like when a child hides under their sheets, a little safe pocket for them away from the terrors of the outside world. The darkness hugs him like an old friend and the water pushes down on his chest until there is no air left in his lungs. His long hair waltzes around him like vines.

His eyes barely catch the glint of green coming in his direction.

But his mind does register the pair of eyes his heart has sung about in the past.

* * *

When Technoblade’s eyes snap open, the first thing he sees is the ceiling of his room.

“Oh, thank God!”

He turns his head to the side, taking note of the gentle hand on his hair. Dream stares at him with relief shining in his sea green eyes and a kind smile in his rosy lips. Gently, the blonde kisses the King, first on his forehead, then on his nose and finally on his lips. Techno returns the kiss with a bittersweet taste in his tongue.

“What happened?” He asks, despite knowing what happened.

“A storm hit yesterday, and just this morning the fishermen found you floating in a piece of the ship.”

“And the others?”

“Some were found on the shores, some are still missing. Phil is taking care of it.” Dream gives Techno another forehead kiss. “I’m so glad you’re ok.”

“Yeah, it’s gonna take more than some salty water to get rid of me.” Techno tries for a joke, and while Dream smiles, he can’t help but feel his heart sink.

Because if his memory is correct, then the man who whispered sweet nothings in his ears for the last years is nothing but a filthy liar.

* * *

“I’m surprised you want to take a bath so soon.”

“I figured being surrounded by warm water might help.”

Dream looks at him oddly from where he is sitting at the border of the bathtub. Technoblade dislikes the sea, it’s news to exactly no one, but he does enjoy a good bath, so it’s not out of character for him to ask the blonde to prepare one for him. Dream has a much stronger fear of water and never joined him, no matter how much the pinkette pleaded, but he takes pleasure in tending to his King, washing the man’s hair and back and providing his company.

Or so he says.

Or so Techno was led to believe.

It is so easy to prove his paranoia wrong. So simple.

But he fears what it’ll bring. He doesn’t want to be proven right. He doesn’t want to lose yet another person in his life.

“Well, you can go in now, I’ll go tell Phil you’re ok.”

Dream gets up, walking to Techno with light steps, always looking like a natural born dancer. Like he has had his legs all his life. His green eyes glint as he approaches the pinkette standing on the doorway, bringing forth the memory of when Technoblade was under the waves. It prompts the King to move, so quickly it startles the blonde.

“Techno?”

Techno grabs Dream by the arm with enough strength to hurt, probably leaving behind some marks, but he doesn't care for bruises or the pained yelps leaving the blonde's lips. He's on a mission and not even his feelings will get in the way. He _needs_ to know the truth. He throws the blonde in his now filled bathtub, uncaring, watching as his lover's body hits the water with a loud splash.

His breath hitches once the blonde is back on the surface. A long fish tail is in the place of his legs, twitching, green scales shining under the setting sun's light.

_A fucking merman._

They stare at each other in silence, Dream’s tail flailing.

It is true then. Dream truly is a merman. How ironic, Technoblade had been so close to getting the same ending as his parents, backstabbed by a sea-dweller. A shiver of disgust goes down his spine, anger building inside him like a vulcan. There is pain deep in his heart, like something is piercing his chest and twisting, but he doesn’t care. His Kingdom had been this close to damnation and he has not learned the meaning of mercy.

“When were you planning on telling me? When you stabbed me in the back and stole from my Kingdom? Or maybe you would forever keep me in the dark like a little toy?”

“Techno—!” Dream's eyes are pleading, glistening with tears and sorrow, but the pinkette's face shows nothing, he makes sure of it.

"Don't! Don't say my name with your cursed mouth!" Techno roars, grabbing the iron sword he hid back when he was younger just in case.

Part of him feels gleeful for his past self's insight, as iron is particularly harmful to merfolk and sea dwellers in general, further proven by how Dream flinches and scrambles to get out of the tub and away from Techno. The tail parts, and soon the blonde is standing on two legs again, moving as gracefully as a wet floor will let him.

"Please, let me explain!"

"Go ahead, tell me what you have been planning to do to this Kingdom after getting its king under your spell."

Dream eyes flash, now looking like little pools of ocean than ever.

"I'm not planning anything." He starts with a shaky voice. "I don't want anything from you or your Kingdom. I haven't in a long time! I love it here, I love the people of this Kingdom and I love you."

"Lying. You must be lying. The elders warned me against the forked tongue of your people."

Technoblade steps closer, making Dream step backwards. There is so much rage inside him, he's surprised he hasn't already killed the man—the thing standing before him. If he had to guess, he'd blame his foolish heart and its stubborn clinging to what would bring him and his Kingdom just ruin.

"Lying? _I'm_ lying? You're accusing me of lying when all the words your elders have fed you are as empty as your promise to me?" Dream's tone changes, filled with rage like a turbulent sea storm. A spike of hurt comes with his words, poisoning Techno’s traitorous heart as he remembers the promises made fervently against the blonde’s warm skin. "When your wench of a mother doomed my entire Empire and hid behind pretty words and that fool she called a husband?"

"Don't you dare talk about my parents like that!"

"They were _thieves,_ Technoblade! God-damned thieves who stole the heart of an entire civilization and then called us greedy!" Dream's voice rises as he keeps walking backwards. "Haven't you noticed how stupid the story of your Kingdom's war with my Empire sounds? How it just doesn't make sense, any of it?!"

"Shut up!" Techno yells back, swinging his sword. The blonde dodges, running to the big window, the window right by the cliff. "You keep saying 'your Empire's as if—"

Techno's mouth closed with a loud click, understanding dawning on him. His grip on the sword is almost painful as he takes in the blonde in front of him with new eyes. Something inside him breaks and before he can think, Techno lunges forwards, ready to end it all.

But Dream, ever so clever and ever so crafty Dream, jumps out of the window and into the ocean below.

* * *

“Techno! You’re up!” Philza smiles at him, getting up from his chair. “I asked Dream to tell me if you woke up, I’m guessing he fell asleep…?”

Any other day, Technoblade would smile at the man who raised him, the man he is proud to call a father—even if not directly—, entering his office with some food to share or a book, and they’d spend some time enjoying each other’s presence. But today Techno’s expression is solemn, and his eyes are blazing. Philza, of course, notices right away, smile fading away, being replaced with a confused and worried frown.

“Say, Phil. What did the eldest prince of that merfolk empire look like?”

“That’s an odd question.” Phil raises one eyebrow, but all Techno does is shrug noncommittally and direct his attention to the many books the advisor has on the walls.

He's bound to find something about sea-dwellers and the disappearance of their Empire in at least one of them, right?

“Well, from what I remember, he was blonde.” Techno's insides churn at the man's answer, but he refuses to let the other see his conflicted thoughts.

“Was he tall?”

“Hard to say with the tail, but I believe so?”

“... Were his eyes green like the ocean?”

His question is met with the sound of Phil sitting back on his chair, the furniture creaking a little, and the man's haunting silence. This makes the King finally take his eyes away from the books. He immediately wishes he didn't when he registers the knowing look in Philza's eyes. No remorse, no conflicted feelings, just a knowing look laced with sadness.

“I feared this day would come.”

 _“You knew.”_ Technoblade spits out the accusation, body tensing with anger.

“And that, that expression of pure rage, is exactly why I feared.”

“How could you? How could you allow that monster so close to me and to the others? How could you let it inside this Kingdom? How could you bring here the one who made me and my brother orphans?”

Technoblade is ready to grab his sword and attack, but the look in his adopted father's eyes and the knowledge that the blonde is the superior fighter between them keeps him in place. He has a half mind to wonder if the Advisor had been bewitched by the merman, but no merfolk magic would work on Philza, who had dedicated his life to learning how to counter magic after the death of the previous rulers.

“The only one you can blame for making you an orphan, Technoblade, is your mother and your mother only.”

“What?”

“Sit. Let me tell you what really happened back then.”

The King and the Advisor have a staring contest for a moment, Techno fully aware he is acting quite like the petulant child. He has no intention of stopping, however, grabbing a chair nearby and putting it almost against the room's wooden door, as far away from his father as he can be. A pang of guilty fondness hits him when Phil rolls his eyes good-naturedly at his antics, and longing strikes right after at the lack of wheezy laughter in the background.

“As you know, your mother was a witch. She was very powerful and knowledgeable and, credits where credits are due, the land thrived with her spells. However, she was greedy, a sin that walks hand in hand with power. She wanted _more,_ Technoblade, more than the land-dwellers could provide.

“The merfolk Empire had magic, merpeople are naturally full of magic, and she wanted it. But you can't simply take away the magic from a merperson. I'm not sure, but I think the magic just isn't compatible. Dream had been very hesitant to tell anyone about it, and I don't blame him. Anyways, your mother went for the next best thing: the Empire's Pearl. From what I know, the Pearl is a magical artifact with immense power. The Queen believed it to be some sort of provider or retainer of magic. If she managed to harvest its power, she'd be even more powerful. She told your father, the King, about it and when he hesitated, she insisted that it would bring an even more prosperous era. He agreed, as he, much like you, lived for the Kingdom.

“Together, they stole the pearl. The reaction was immediate, and the only reason a war didn't start right away was because of the Royal Family. They attempted to get their pearl back through negotiations and compromises, and the one they had chosen to represent them was none other than the oldest prince. That's when I first met Dream. You had to see him, draped in silk and gold, he looked more like an angel than a merman. He tried everything, even humiliating himself by bowing down to a King that was not his. Your parents were not changing their minds, however, and the Prince, filled with the same love for his people you and your father share, declared war.

“It was terrible at the beginning. We are a proud Kingdom that houses many skilled fighters, but none of us were ready to face out allies of so many decades. The merpeople have a spell that allows them to take human form, and they know how to use it. Add that to their great skill with magic, and you've got a hard battle to _survive,_ winning a mere fever dream. But as time went by, the merfolk army started to thin out, and the ones who did come to fight were desperate enough to become easy to end. The biggest problem left was Dream who, as a royal, had much more strength than the simple merfolk. Your mother used a spell, then, the last spell she'd ever use, to lock Dream in his human form, which greatly weakened his already weakening magic.

“Once she died, your father was supposed to strike the Prince with his iron sword. But the King just couldn't do it, I'm not sure why. He let Dream go, and Dream ran away, as far away as possible. The King killed himself days later after locking himself away in his room with grief and sorrow. The merpeople Empire disappeared like its Prince. I took over as it was requested of me, General turned Advisor, and I raised you and Wilbur as my own. Before you ask, Wilbur knows parts of it, since he was old enough to remember some stuff. One day, I met Dream again, walking around town with his friends, doing surprisingly well. I offered him a job in the castle and the rest of this story you can probably tell better than me.”

Before Techno can say anything, before he can even decide on what to say—being terribly divided in calling it all bullshit or letting his heart break more because of his actions earlier—he feels a surge of magic, familiar magic. A blinding red light appears, circling Philza’s neck like a necklace, quickly closing in around the man’s neck until it burns itself against his flesh like it had been there all along.

It feels like the late Queen’s magic.

“What is that?”

“Your mother put a very strong curse in the castle to keep the secret safe. It’ll slowly eat away anyone who tells the truth about the pearl. It’s the reason she was too weak to survive the spell cast on Dream.”

And with dawning horror Technoblade understands he has doomed yet another of his loved ones.


	2. Shellfish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact! This fic was supposed to be an oneshot, but after nights of writing, I got a little overwhelmed, so I decided to cut it in three in hopes it wouldn't overwhelm you guys. I mean, the first chapter has 3k words! I had no idea! Anyways, enjoy~

“There must be a way!” Technoblade insists, trying to leave his bed.

It’s been exactly two weeks since Dream went back to the ocean, and Philza had told the King the truth behind the past war and triggered the curse. Two weeks where King Technoblade refused to eat properly, to sleep properly and to overall _live._ Everything else can wait, even his Kingdom can wait, he does not care. He is _not_ losing Phil too, it’ll be too great of a heartbreak for him to recover from.

His recklessness got him in bed, too weak to continue for the day, or perhaps the week. But he simply _cannot_ stop. Phil is looking worse by the day. The tips of his fingers are already of a tempestuous black, his nose bleeds every so often, dark bags adorn the skin under his eyes no matter how much he sleeps, his flesh is so weakened that slight sunlight can burn him, food is starting to lose its taste and his grip is too weak for a fellow fighter.

“There is not. You don’t have the level of magic or knowledge your mother had,” Phil chides gently, tucking Techno in like he was still a little kid, “And neither do I.”

“I can’t let you die.”

“I have been preparing for this since the curse was put in the castle.”

That grabs Techno’s attention, and his confusion must have shown because Philza chuckles light-heartedly, hand resting against the King’s forehead.

“I was planning on telling you eventually, y’know. I guess I was just a little too selfish, I wanted to see you and your brother grow up into respectable men. But now I have, I even had the pleasure of watching you fall in love.”

Techno’s eyes burn with unshed tears as the man he loves as a father presses a gentle kiss to his forehead, much like he used to do when Techno was still a kid. Much like Dream used to do when the pinkette woke up with nightmares provoked by the stress of being a ruler.

The King misses his blonde dearly. Many regrets weigh on his back, adding even more stress to his already sick body and mind, but he clings to them with desperation. A self-inflicted torture to keep himself in his toes and remind him of his errors. He will not let history repeat itself, even if he must break his heart thinking of ocean green eyes and loving smiles over and over again. Even if he never sees Dream anymore, and he doesn’t deserve to see Dream _ever again,_ Techno will keep the merman close to his heart.

“Found it!” Wilbur bursts inside the room with no consideration for the door. In his hands is the unmistakable crown of the late Queen, their mother. “Mother was one crafty witch, do you have any idea how hard it was to take off the ward protecting this thing?”

The crown is beautiful, a polished obsidian with golden carvings of vines and leaves, with shiny pearls made of silver embedded in it to replicate the stars in the sky. And shining in the middle of them, is a pearl. A real pearl that shines with the same metallic glint as the silver replicas, a stranger hiding behind a disguise. It’s small, Technoblade could carry it around with only one hand, and it’s hard to believe that the merfolk Empire depended on such a small thing, but magic rarely makes sense.

“Wilbur!” Philza scolds, both for the door and the supposedly super powerful object in the older prince’s hand. Wilbur ignores him, however, giving the crown to the King.

“If it is really that powerful, we can use it to save Phill, right?” The brunette smiles, looking giddy like a kid in a candy shop, and Techno can’t help the slight smile. He’s glad that out of the two, his brother got to keep his original cheerfulness. The pinkette doesn’t dare think what type of abyss he would've fallen if not for his brother’s light.

“It’s worth a try.” The King looks directly at their father, eyes pleading as he tries to look as pitiful as his pride will allow him. He knows that Philza is much stronger than him, but he also knows the blonde man is terribly weak for his children. “Please?”

“... Fine. I will see if something can be done.” The Advisor relents, smiling kindly at the two cheering princes.

* * *

It’s unbecoming of a King to eavesdrop. But to be fair, it’s not Technoblade’s fault they left him alone in his room, leaving him to wake up with only his hopeful curiosity.

“So, did it work?”

“... no.”

“What? Why?”

“I’m not sure why, but… the pearl won’t answer to any type of human magic I throw at it. I don’t think it will answer to any type of magic that isn’t merfolk.”

“And the only merman we know is gone, lost in the big blue sea and thinking it’s too dangerous for him to return… What should we do?”

“First, we will tell Technoblade. No more lies, I owe him that much. Then, well, I still have a week or so. I’d like to spend it with my family.”

“... I don’t want you to die.”

“I know, son.”

“... I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

“You have nothing to apologise for, neither does your brother. I’ve lived a happy life and a lot of it is thanks to you two. I can die in peace knowing I got to watch you two grow into great men.”

It’s unbecoming of a King to leave his castle without warning. But to be fair, or at least to sound fair, it’s not Technoblade’s fault they left him alone with his feelings. By now, everyone knows he’s not good with feelings. That used to be Dream’s thing.

* * *

Technoblade is afraid of the sea, yet this time he cannot help but be attracted to it. Like the alluring singing of a siren, the waves call for him and he goes willingly. The sun goes down as he walks, his boots crunching the sand and leaving behind proof of his existence. The wind brings the strong smell of salt to his nose, filling his lungs like the perfume of a darling lady.

He doesn’t stop when the seafoam licks his feet, or when the soaked sand makes him sink. He keeps on walking, one foot after the other, eyes glued to the shining surface of the ocean. The water is oddly calm, accepting his intrusion without much fuss, like a mother welcoming a child after a long day of playing outside. The gentle waves hit his legs almost affectionately, and they feel cool against his exposed chest—he had taken to wearing his shirts open when he was away from the public eye in an almost always successful attempt to fluster his beloved blonde.

There is silence under the waves.

Like a child’s hideout under their sheets, a little safe pocket for them away from the pains of the outside world. The darkness welcomes him like an old friend, a cold hug he accepts gladly, and the water washes away his warm tears. His long hair waltzes around him like the swirling strands carved in his mother’s crown.

His eyes barely catch the glint of green coming in his direction.

But his mind does register the pair of eyes his heart has cried for the last few days.

* * *

“Are you fucking insane?!” Dream’s voice greets Techno once his conscience returns, accompanied with cold fingers holding his face with their characteristic gentleness.

It is more than enough for him to let go. A sob emerges from his throat, tears burning their way down his face. Dream panics, the earlier anger replaced by worry, but Techno can’t do much but cry. It’s the same wailing of the day he understood why his parents were never around, the first visit to the cemetery he remembers. It’s painful, it’s raw, it’s loud and definitely embarrassing. He doesn’t care, however, whole body shaking with sobs.

He goes willingly when the blonde brings him to himself, the two kneeling on the sand in the middle of a beach and clutching each other like a lifeline. Techno hides his face in Dream’s neck, smelling salt and lime. The merman’s body is cold and damp, his hair dripping with water. His hands grip Techno’s shirt tightly, and by the way his shoulders shake ever so barely, the pinkette knows the man is holding back his own strong feelings for the sake of the crying King. The fool.

They stay like that until the King’s wailing stops. Once he’s finally calm enough, the pinkette separates from the other just enough to look at his face, drinking in the image of the one who stole his heart. Technoblade always battled with low self-esteem, never being able to fully convince himself that he is enough, but at this moment he dowright hates himself. Hates himself for letting his rage blind him, hates himself for hurting the blonde, hates himself for breaking the bond they shared.

He wants to cry again, yet he swallows it with a shaky breath, eyes glued to the sea green eyes of his savior. One hand comes to rest on the blonde’s cheek, and the human’s heart cries yet again when the merman flinches minutely before their skins touch.

“I thought you left,” Techno whispers, not daring to raise his voice as he knows it’ll break if he does.

“I couldn’t bring myself to,” Dream answers, also in a whisper, hands gently cupping Techno’s cheeks, “You may not think so, but this is my Kingdom too.”

“It is,” The King promptly agrees, letting the feeling of being held by someone so darling to his heart wash over him.

Silence surrounds them, the only noise being that of the waves and wind. Dream moves to a more comfortable position, shifting the pinkette’s attention to his exposed legs. Hesitantly, Techno’s hands guide Dream’s body by the waist, relishing in the full body shiver his warm skin provokes when in contact with the merman’s skin. Dream is very sensitive to warm temperatures, one of the many reasons they made sure to always stay glued together when they could since the human is practically a furnace. Soon Technoblade is sitting down on the sand, ignoring how his pants are probably more yellow than black, with a lap full of merman. The King slouches enough for his face to be against the blonde’s chest, and Dream accommodates him easily, just like those nights when the nightmares yelled much louder than exhaustion.

“What were you thinking, Technoblade?” Dream murmurs against Techno’s forehead, arms languidly wrapped around his neck. “You could have died.”

“I would not have minded.”

“Don’t you dare say that!” The blonde hisses, glaring down on him. “Don’t ever say something like that! What will the people do without you? Huh? What about Wilbur? And Tommy? And Phil? What about everything you’ve been working so hard for?”

“I already lost you and now I’m losing Philza too. The Kingdom is strong, it doesn’t need a failure as its ruler.”

“What do you mean? What happened to Phil?”

“He told me the truth and now mother’s curse is killing him.”

“He can’t break it?”

“No. The level of magic she used was too strong. He even tried to use the Pearl, but it failed. It wouldn’t answer to him.”

“Of course it wouldn’t. The Pearl by itself has no power.”

“... what?”

Techno looks up at the blonde, no doubt with a baffled expression, and Dream sighs as shoulders sag. Taking his hands away from the pinkette’s face, the blonde gathers his own messy hair up, showing off his neck. There is a dark mark crawling from the back of it, quite similar to the darkness crawling its way up Philza’s fingers, like life is slowly being drained of him.

“The Pearl is not a source of magic, it is a regulator. Merfolk magic is incredibly unstable, just like the ocean, and if not kept in check, it makes us decay, like rusty iron. Phil would never be able to use the Pearl with human magic, it only works for merfolk.”

Technoblade needs a second to register the words. When he does, it is only for a loud and borderline hysterical chortle to come out of the deepest part of his chest It all had been in vain. Nothing can save his father, Technoblade is doomed to lose yet another parent to the cruel hands of greed and betrayal. So he laughs and laughs, tears rolling down his cheeks, salty as the cold water a few feet away from them. The sun is almost completely gone and he’s sure the next morning will be filled with fishermen’s tales of mysterious and haunting laughter coming from the shores.

Once he finally calms down, he smiles brokenly at the one in his lap, noticing how his green eyes glow in the darkness now that he doesn’t bother to hide his true nature.

“You knew.” It comes out not as a question, but not as an accusation. A simple truth whispered in the evening.

“I’m sorry. I can’t break it without my magic going overdrive and speeding up the process, I’d be dead in less than a day… And I was selfish, I knew Philza or any of the others who knew about the curse wouldn’t tell you, so I figured I could just… let it be. I’m so sorry, if I knew it would end this way, I would’ve broken it before.”

Tears run down the merman’s face, golden mixed with tar. Some distant part of the pinkette commits the view to his memory, wondering if the books talk about merfolk tears being made of gold. His hands grab Dream’s face gently, wiping away the tears with tenderness uncharacteristic of such rough palms.

“You had no idea things would go this way.”

“I still shouldn’t have lied to you. I’m sorry.”

“I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I’m sorry.”

“... I don’t know how to say this without making you think I’m plotting something, but… if you allow me to return to the castle, I might be able to break the curse.”

Dream’s voice is small and tremulous, _unsure._ He is asking Technoblade to trust him, _all of him._ Both the part of Dream the pinkette can trace with closed eyes and the part of him he’s been hiding for years, the part of him that is unknown to Technoblade.

It’s a surprisingly easy choice to make.

* * *

“Techno, where the Hell—Dream?!”

“No time for your freak outs, Wilbur, where is Philza?!”

What a image Technoblade must make right now: Shirtless, covered in sand and salty water from head to toe—he really doesn’t want to think about how long it’s going to take for him to get his hair clean after—, pale face with dark bags under his frantic eyes, running inside the castle like the Devil runs from the cross while holding in his arms a mostly naked Dream who’s covered only by the King’s white shirt that’s thankfully big enough on him to hide the necessary. Later they’ll laugh about Techno’s stupid possessiveness, the King is sure of it, but right now they have a father to save.

Wilbur seems to catch on, thankfully, and starts running along the King. Let it be noted that the oldest Prince of Terrai is much smarter than his pretty face would lead others to believe. Techno will make sure to tell him that later, after everything that’s about to happen.

“He is in his room, the sickness suddenly got much worse!” The brunette answers, and they adjust the route accordingly. “I think it’s because he tried to use the Pearl!”

“What about you, Wilbur? Didn’t the curse latch onto you?” Dream asks, trying to look at the older prince, voice filled with worry.

“It did, actually!”

“What?!”

_ That _ makes Technoblade stop his crazed running, stopping so abruptly that the blonde in his arms almost falls. Techno’s heart beats strongly against his chest, worry and fear and dread and anger filling his lungs. Now that he has stopped, he has run all the way from the beach to the castle while carrying Dream, his legs burn and his stomach churns. Dream’s hand on the nape of his neck reminds him of their limited time, and he starts running again, throwing his brother a look.

“What?! Was I supposed to just sit there and look pretty while Phil died?! He is my father too!” Wilbur protests at the look in Techno’s eyes. “Of course I tried to use it too!”

“Wilbur, I am so sorry!” Dream interrupts whatever argument Techno has before he can voice it, and the pinkette squeezes him a little bit.

“No time for pity parties, Dream! Wilbur, get that damn crown and meet us in Phil’s room, I’ll explain everything later!”

Wilbur yells an agreement, separating from them. Techno puts every ounce of energy he has in his legs, ignoring how much they hurt and ignoring how weak he is. He had barely eaten the entire day, instead spending it in bed after collapsing from sleep deprivation. His body is more than ready to give up on him, and it’s a miracle he hasn’t fallen to his face yet. Dream had offered to pump some energy on him through his magic, but the pinkette refused vehemently, not willing to risk having the merman use his magic without the Pearl.

He already lost the blonde to his stupidity, he will  _ not _ lose him to Death.

If he has to choose, he prefers to have his heart broken a thousand times if it means Dream gets to keep on living.

“Crown?”

“Mother hid the pearl in her crown. None of us wanted to risk breaking it, so we left it there.”

“That’s smart, the Pearl gets more fragile the more time it spends away from merfolk magic.”

“... after all of this is done, we’re going to sit down and talk about that thing.”

“Fine by me, I owe you that much.” Silence. A sharp breath. Then. “Are you sure you want to trust me with it?”

Techno takes a look at the blonde’s unsure expression. Ah, the painful stab of guilt, his heart surely missed that. The King sighs.

“Dream, we will talk about this, about  _ us _ later, but know that despite me being a moron, I trust you with every ounce of my being. You could just up and leave the castle with it and I’d trust you.”

He hopes Dream decides to stick around, however. There are many words he needs to say, and many ways he plans to show how sorry he truly is. And even more ways to win back the man he let go so foolishly.

What can he say? Technoblade is selfish too.


	3. Fish Out Of Water

Under the sun, Dream glows like a holy being sent by the gods. It is quite ironic that he is a being of the depths when he looks like he was made to shine like sunlight. Almost as if he is a misplaced start, having fallen into the ocean and never being able to return. But he has chosen to neither go to the sea, nor to the sky. He chooses the land that was once bathed in the blood of his people, and ruled by the greed that spilled their blood in the first place.

Dream looks divine.

Technoblade could cry, but he doubts he has any tears left after the last months.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m better. My magic is finally stable, it won’t be eating me away anymore. How’s Phil?”

“Pff, that man is already prancing around, bossing everyone. Nevermind he was almost dead when we got to him, it’s like there was never a curse to begin with.”

Dream smiles, sitting in the border of the bathtub, moving his feet and creating ripples in the warm water. It is the first time in weeks that he has approached the King so intimately, usually preferring to keep his distance and, if possible, someone else in the room with them. It had hurt Techno immensely, but he knows he doesn’t deserve easy forgiveness. Dream is the one setting the pace for their relationship, and Techno is willing to grovel for as long as it’s needed. It’s probably selfish of him to want forgiveness at all, however he is not willing to let go of the merman so easily.

The simple fact Dream stayed after getting the Pearl back had been enough to cement his resolve. As long as Dream allows him, the King will do everything and anything to gain his affections again. The weeks he spent doing so were torturous, a proud King reduced to a lovesick puppy ready to do whatever his owner commanded, but it was worth it. The blonde is worth it.

It had all been worth it to see Dream sit on the border of the bathtub, naked from head to toe except for the headpiece on his forehead. Instead of taking it away from the crown and risking it breaking by being too weakened, they reforged the crown around it, making a beautiful obsidian headpiece with the silver pearls and the original pearl. They dangle against the merman’s pale skin, like little pieces of stars. Philza had wondered if Dream really was ok with it, and Dream had answered that, in a way, it’s quite fair that he gets to wear the crown of the Queen who took away his Empire.

The implication of him someday taking her place still lingers in the pinkette’s mind.

“I noticed… that you asked the servants to get rid of almost all pictures of your parents…”

“They are a disgrace to this Kingdom,” he bites out with a frown.

“Part of me is happy that I don’t need to face them anymore, but… part of me wishes you didn’t have to destroy memories of your family…”

Family is and probably will always be a touchy subject for Dream. He had one before, a big one full of brothers and sisters, one he cherished, honored, protected and loved beyond measure. And now he is the only one left. That is a scar no healer will ever be able to make go away.

“My family is here. My father is probably trying to stop my brothers from wreaking havoc, your brothers are probably doing their own damage somewhere and you are here.”

Dream perks up at the mention of SapNap and George, his two best friends and the only other people who knew the truth about him. When the blonde ran away, he had no place to stay permanently, as merfolk age much slower than humans and a human that doesn’t age simply doesn’t exist. Thankfully, he was smart and soon adapted to a nomadic lifestyle. In his travels, he met the dynamic duo, who eventually found out what and who he really is. The two are truly attached to Dream, and now Techno knows they’re the ones he should be thanking for Dream’s return to the Kingdom years ago.

Once the curse had been lifted, the very first thing Dream asked of Technoblade once he was conscient was to bring him his two friends, and who is Techno to deny his beloved?

The castle is certainly more lively with them around, anyways.

And the merman smiles freely in their presence.

“... and what role do I play in this family?”

“... what role do you want to play, Dream?”

The blonde looks down at his hands, none the wiser of the herculean amount of effort the King is putting in staying where he is. Technoblade wants to touch the merman so badly it  _ hurts. _ His hands tremble and his muscles are tense. He hasn’t touched Dream in so long, not more than some fleeting touches on the shoulder and the occasional guiding hand on the blonde’s back to prevent him from falling while the magic settles inside him. The last time he held the blonde had been on the day he almost lost Philza, when the sudden overuse of his magics and the too fresh bond with the Pearl caused him to faint and almost give the royal a heart attack.

Techno closes his eyes and sighs, trying to calm down the pounding of his heart.

“Technoblade?”

When he opens his eyes again, prompted by the siren’s call, he is met with the most breathtaking view he has ever laid his eyes on. Dream sits there, refusing to look him in the eye, showing off his true nature, the true nature Techno has seen only three times as of now. The first time when he found out the truth, when he was so blinded by rage he couldn’t see anything but red; the second time when he almost killed himself, but it had been too brief for him to notice as soon Dream had turned back to a more human appearance; the third time when Dream broke the curse and saved Phil, passing out right after and making everyone fret enough for it to be unimportant.

But now he can see  _ all _ of Dream. The pointed ears, the gills in his neck, the supernatural glow of his green eyes, the now golden freckles across his cheeks and nose, the gorgeous mix of dark and light green with a gentle hue of seafoam of his tail’s shiny scales, the see through fins… Ethereal, otherworldly, breathtaking, all words that he can use to describe the merman in front of him, and none of them truly fitting of such beauty.

He wants to touch Dream’s tail. His hands raise to do it, but he stops before they can. Touching a merman’s tail is something absurdly intimate. Merfolk won’t ever let anyone touch their tails, even other merfolk, without an extraordinary amount of trust. Trust that the King  _ has not. _ His hands twitch. He really wants to touch the shiny scales.

“You can… you can touch…  _ me.” _

The pinkette looks up from the tail to its owner, sure his expression is one of utmost surprise. He can see it in the blonde’s eyes, his words are deliberate. He is not just giving Techno permission to touch his tail, which by itself is already huge, he is giving Techno permission to touch  _ him. All of him. _

Pardon the pun, but he feels like this moment is a dream.

His hands move faster than his mind can catch up. The scales are smooth, hard and cold, definitely meant to withstand the pressure and challenges of the underwater world. They shine with a distinctive hue of seafoam green, and some are speckled with gold like Dream’s cheeks.

Hesitating then no longer, Techno brings the tail to his lips, depositing a long and firm kiss. Dream gasps, maybe in surprise or maybe in pleasure. No matter, as long as he is allowed, Technoblade is determined to worship such wonderful sounds out of the merman. He slowly kisses a path up the tail, drinking up the small pleased sounds Dream gives him in return. Once he finally gets to the merman’s belly, where scales meet skin, he playfully nips at the soft skin, chuckling at the weak protests coming from the other.

“Technoblade…” A shiver runs down his spine at the breathy call of his name, and he looks up to meet green eyes that glow like stars. “Marry me.”

“... what?”

“Marry me.” Dream cups his face gently, bringing their foreheads together. “Some part of me is saying that I have completely lost my mind, but… I want to stay here with you. In my Kingdom with my King. So marry me. Take me back as your fiance.”

“Are you sure? Are you sure you want to marry someone who carries the same blood as the people who destroyed your Empire?” He has to ask, because no matter how much he wants to keep Dream by his side, if the merman isn’t happy then it means nothing but heartbreak.

“You are not them.”

“I almost was.”

“You chose to not be them.”

Dream brings their lips together in a gentle kiss, stealing away every single doubt Techno could ever have together with his breath. His heart, however, stays where it always had been, in the hands of his beloved merman.

“Yes.”

* * *

“Soooo… where did you get this?” Techno asks, looking at the ring on his finger.

After spending some time in the bathtub, they moved to the King’s bed, Dream now back in his legs. He still has the glowing eyes and pointed ears after the pinkette assured him he won’t ever need to hide himself from him again. It’s nice to see the blonde so comfortable in his skin as they lay on the silky sheets, basking in the intimacy of cuddling with nothing between them.

“After the incident, I couldn’t just leave, so I went to take a look at the underwater ruins… this is an engagement ring I had prepared for when I inevitably had to choose a spouse. I wanted it to be nice, even if it tied me to a loveless marriage, but now I want it to be a symbol of our union.”

“It’s made of gold and silver.” He’s definitely not touching the subject of the fallen Empire, not today. They already had their heart-to-heart for the day.

“To represent human tears and merman tears.”

“... why?”

Dream blushes, hiding his face in the crook of Techno’s neck.

“... I was hoping I’d marry one of the Terrai. I thought it would make sense to strengthen the bonds between the sea and land dwellers by getting me to marry human royalty…”

“... so you  _ are _ a mastermind, after all;”

“Oh, shut up.”

Technoblade laughs, loud and free, peppering his lover’s face with kisses and prompting the merman to giggle.

This second chance will not be in vain.


End file.
